Improvement in machine foe manufacturing fuse



No. 81,291. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1868.

T. RICHARDS.

Y MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING FUSE. I

THOMAS RICHARDS, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD D. MANNING, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 81,291, dated August 18, 1868.

flit: strata riie'mt in in flgcsc fitters igtiittti imt muting part it the 52mm TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RICHARDS, of Medford, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Machine for Manufacturing Fuse for blasting, &'c., ofwhich the following'is a full,-'clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in whiehf Figure lis a perspective view of my improved machine.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the same.

Figure 3 is a detail (enlarged) to be referred ,to hereafter.

And my invention therefore consists in certain details to be fully described hereafter.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A is the framework of the machine, in suitable bearings in which runs the drivingshaft B, which carries at its upper end the pulley O, which drives, by means ofa belt, D, the pulley E, attached to the upper extremity of adaollow vertical shaft, G. This shaft, the interior as which is lined with a copper tube, to prevent liability of explosion, serves as a conductor to carry the powder (which is introduced through a hopper or funnel, (1,) to the point 6, where the strands a are being twisted together to form the fuse, the pow-. der being thus delivered to the interior of the fuse. as it is twisted, so as to form a continuous train, as required, H is a frame, which is secured to theovertieal shaft G, so as to revolve therewith, and carries the spools cl e, the strands c from which are led through openings, f, in a disk or collar, I, which is secured to the shaft G, and revolves in a bearing, g, in a block, J, which has a large opening out through it, for the passage of the strands, as seen in fig. 2, the lower end of the shaft G being tapered, so as to allow the strands to pass in a straight line from the holesfto the point 5. v I g The disk Iscrvesto steady the lower end of the shaft G, and keep. it in a central position, its upper end running in. a bearing, It, and by passing the strands through the openingsf in the disk I, their distance apart is regulated, .thus securing evenness and regularity in the twist of the fuse. t' is a strand or thread of small diameter, which is led from a spool, K, down through the funnel a and the hollow shaft G, to the point 6, where it forms the centre of the fuse, and thus, as the strands c are twisted around it, it is drawn down through the conductor G, serving to keep the powder in motion, and prevent any liability of the conductor becoming clogged. The uninterrupted delivery of the powder at the point 6, where the fuse is formed, and the consequent continuity of the train of powder within the fuse, are thus insured. v

The fuse, as it is twisted, passes down through a tube, It, supported in a frame, L, to the point Z, where it is overlaid with a covering of strands, m, which serve to bind it securely together, and prevent the escape of thepowder; and it will be seen that the tube It prevents the strands from opening and allowing the powder to fall out while the fuse is passing from the point [2 to the point Z, (previous to the covering being twisted over it,) which would be liable to occur if the fuse should become slack, and were exposed between these points, as heretofore. v i

The tube It slides within the' frame L, a sot-screw, n, serving to secure it at the desired height, and by adjusting it so as to bring its upper end close to the nipple or point of the conductor G, the quantity of powder delivered may be diminished, as the strands u will be forced up to the orifice at the bottom of the conductor, thus preventing the powder from. passing down as freely as before, and when a large quantity of powder is required, the tube 7:: maybe lowered, so as to withdraw the strands farther from the orifice at the bottom of the conductor, and leave it free and unobstructed.

The fuse, after ,being overlaid with a covering of strands, m, is passed down through a hollowushaft, M, which revolves in bearings, 0 and carries a pulley, g, which is driven by a belt from a pulley, N, on the driving-shaft B. To the hollow shaft M is secured the spool-frame P, which carries the spools r, from which the strands m are led to the point where they are twisted around the fuse by the revolution of the frame 1? These strands m are passed through open slots, 3, (fig. 3,) in the upper extremity of the hollow shaft M, after which a ring, t, is fitted tightly over' it, and secured by any suitable device, for the purpose of keeping the strandsin place, and the slots being placed at equal distances apart, serve to keep the strands in the proper positions to insure evenness and regularity in the twist. The ring t rests upon the pins to, which prevent it from being forced down too far, and in the event of the breakage of one of the strands m, the ring may be easily removed, the ends of the strands united, and the whole replaced in a ready and expeditious manner.

The fuse, after passing through the hollow shaft M, may be covered with a Water-proof material, and then taken up on a reel in the ordinary manner. The mechanism for performing these latter operations, however, forms no part of my present invention, ,and'is not, therefore, shown or described.

C'laz'm.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secured by Letters Patent, is

The hollow shaft M, having open slotss at its upper end, in combination with the ring t, substantially as described for the purpose herein set forth:

THOS. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

P. E. TESCHEMACHER, N.-W. STEARNS. 

